Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake is an especially scrumptious dessert that combines the creaminess of ice cream with a soft cake and the crunchiness of caramelized nuts. It is a perfect treat for summer or other warm days, and its sweet and salty flavors make it a crowd-pleaser. This cake is easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. Stay tuned: I will share with you my favorite recipe for Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake, tips on how to make it, and different variations you can try, so read on!
What is Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake?
Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake is a frozen dessert that is made up of several layers of delicious ingredients. Typically, the dessert consists of a layer of cake at the bottom of a cake pan, followed by layers of ice cream and caramel sauce. These layers are then topped with a crunchy topping, such as chopped caramelized nuts or cookies, to provide a satisfying texture and contrast to the creamy ice cream and sweet caramel flavors.
The cake layer in Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake can be made from scratch or purchased pre-made, and is an essential part of the dessert, providing a solid base for the other layers. Once the cake layer is in place, the ice cream and caramel layers are added on top, and then the crunchy topping is sprinkled over the top of the dessert.
Once all the layers are assembled, the cake is then frozen until it is completely solid. It can then be served frozen or partially thawed, depending on your preference. Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake is a decadent and satisfying dessert that is perfect for special occasions or summer parties, and is sure to be a hit with anyone who loves ice cream and caramel flavors.
The combination of flavors and textures is simply amazing!
My Favorite Recipe for an Easy Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients for the Cake Base
- 1 box of yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup of water
- 3 egg whites
- 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
Ingredients for the Ice Cream Layer
- 1 quart of vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1/2 cup of caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
Ingredients for the Caramel Crunch Topping
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of corn syrup
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of chopped almonds or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, egg whites, and vegetable oil. Mix until well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 25—30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely. Remove the cake from the pan and place it on a serving plate.
- In a separate bowl, mix the softened vanilla ice cream with the caramel sauce.
- Spread the ice cream mixture over the top of the cooled cake. Place in the freezer for a while.
- In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
- Remove the caramel from the heat and stir the chopped almonds or pecans in the hot mixture.
- Take the cake from the freezer. Pour the caramel crunch topping over the ice cream layer.
- Freeze the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Recipe for Homemade Caramel Sauce
I don’t leave you empty-handed when the above recipe calls for homemade caramel sauce! Therefore, I want to share my go-to recipe for homemade caramel sauce — you can thank me later!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula.
2. The sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn the sugar!
3. Once the sugar is completely melted, add the butter. Be careful as the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
4. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2—3 minutes.
5. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while stirring. The mixture will bubble rapidly again.
6. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
8. Allow to cool down before using it to your Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake — or a topping for ice cream, cake, or any other dessert. The caramel sauce will thicken as it cools.
Tips for Making a Perfect Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake
Making Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake is easy, but there are a few tips that can help you create the perfect dessert:
- Use a wet cloth dipped in hot water to help unmold the cake. This will release the cake from the pan easily.
- Use a serrated knife to level the top of the cake. This will ensure that the ice cream layer sits evenly on top of the cake.
- Make sure the ice cream is softened before mixing it with the caramel sauce.
- If the ice cream is too hard to spread, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften.
- If you don’t have brown sugar, you can substitute it with white sugar and add a tablespoon of molasses.
- You can also use peanut butter instead of caramel sauce for the ice cream layer.
- You can use store-bought caramel sauce if you don’t want to make your own.
- Freeze the cake for at least 4 hours to ensure it is firm enough to slice.
- To make the cake more festive, you can add whipped cream and maraschino cherries on top of the caramel crunch topping right before serving.
- To make the cake easier to slice, run a knife under hot water and dry it before cutting.
- Store any leftover cake in the freezer.
Variations of the Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake
- You can use different ice cream flavors you like instead of vanilla.
- Try adding a layer of sliced bananas or strawberries between the ice cream and the caramel sauce.
- For a chocolate twist, drizzle hot fudge sauce over the ice cream instead of caramel sauce.
- You can use any flavor of ice cream that you prefer.
- You can customize this recipe by using different flavors of cake mix, ice cream, and toppings. Try using chocolate cake mix with mint chocolate chip ice cream, or yellow cake mix with strawberry ice cream.
- For an extra crunchy topping, try adding crushed cookies, rice cereal, pop corn or candy bars to the top of the cake before freezing.
More Variations
- Chocolate Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake: Use chocolate cake mix instead of yellow cake mix and add chocolate chips to the cake layer.
- Strawberry Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake: Use strawberry ice cream instead of vanilla ice cream and add fresh strawberries to the cake layer.
- Salted Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Cake: Sprinkle sea salt on top of the caramel sauce for a salty-sweet flavor.
- Adding Chocolate or Cocoa: For a chocolate twist on this recipe, add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder to the vanilla ice cream mixture before adding the caramel sauce. You can also add chocolate chips or shavings on top of the cake for an extra chocolatey flavor.
- Adding Fruit Toppings: To add a fruity twist to this recipe, top the cake with fresh berries or sliced fruit before serving. You can also mix fruit into the ice cream mixture before freezing the cake. Some delicious options include strawberries, raspberries, and peaches.
As you can imagine, this cake is a delicious and easy dessert that is perfect for any occasion. With its creamy ice cream, sweet caramel, and crunchy bits, it’s sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. You can customize this recipe by using different flavors of cake mix or ice cream. It’s a versatile dessert that you can make your own. Give it a try and see how it becomes one of your favorites!